Automatic regulating apparatus for steam heating systems



Feb.'l8, 1936. v E. c. WILEY 2,031,445

AUTOMATIC REGULATING APPARATUS FOR STEAM HEATING SYSTEMS Original FiledJune 15, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I limentm- Ed a Wiley h (Ittorncg Feb.18, 1936. E. c. WILEY 2,031,445

AUTOMATIC REGULATING APPARATUS FOR STEAM HEATING SYSTEMS Original FiledJune 15, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 3nnentor EaQaMfiZ A; (Ittorneg PatentedFeb. 18, 1936 UNITED STATES AUTOMATIC REGULATING APPARATUS FOR STEAMHEATING SYSTEMS Edgar C. Wiley, Lynchburg', Ya, assignor to SimplexHeating Specialty Company, Inc., Lynchburg, Va., a corporation ofVirginia Original application June 13, 1930, Serial No. 460,952. Dividedand this application June 24,

1932, Serial No. 619,138

6 Claims. (01.236-80) This invention relates to automatic regulatingapparatus for steam heating plants. A general object of the invention isto provide an extremely sensitive and accurate pressure and flowregulating apparatus which may be controlled automatically or manuallyfrom a remote point by a pressure sensitive agent. Other objects will beapparent from the following description.

This application is a division of my copending application Serial No.460,952, filed June 13, 1930, now Patent No. 1,868,555 dated July 26,1932, in which the present invention is described as a part of aregulating system for a steam heating plant.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification;

Fig. 1 is an elevation partly in section of'the regulating apparatus tobe described;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical section through the pilot valve shown atthe extreme right of Fig. 1; and I Figs. 3 and 4 are enlarged sectionalelevations of parts shown at the extreme left of Fig. 1.

Referring particularly to the drawings, there is shown a section of ahigh pressure steam main 5 through which steam may be supplied from acentral station, a low pressure main 6 from which the heating units maybe supplied, and a reducing and regulating valve 1 by means of which thequantity of steam passing from the high to the low pressure main isregulated. On either side of the reducing Valve 1, there is located agate valve 8 by means of which the reducing valve may be shut off fromboth the high and low pressure mains.

The regulating valve is of the balanced type having upper and lowervalve seats 9 and Ill and a double headed valve plunger l I. The area.of the upper valve head is slightly larger than that of the lower sothat the valve is urged by the steam pressure towards open position.This tendency is overbalanced by a valve spring I2, which, of course, isreplaceable with other springs or'with weights.

Secured to'the underside of the valve body 1 is a housing l3 having alongitudinal bore l4 and enclosing an elongated valve operating stem l5.The stem is suitably guided for reciprocation'in the bore by guidemember IS. The lower end of the housing l3 terminates in the halfportion of a diaphragm casing I1, and between the half portions of thecasing ll, a diaphragm is firmly clamped. The lower end of the valvestem is secured to the diaphragm as shown at l8 so that flexing .of thediaphragm will reciprocate the valve member ll.- Communication betweenthe upper portion of the diaphragm casing and a point in the lowpressure main is provided by the bore l4 and a short pipe [9 so that theupper portion of the diaphragm I8 is at all times subjected to a steampressure substantially the same as that in the low pressure main. Theunderside of the diaphragm is subjected to a variable steam pressurethrough a pipe having a connection with a pipe 2| which is used tobypass a small quantity of steam for control purposes from a point inthe high pressure main around the regulating valve to a point in the lowpressure a I Between the high pressure end of the pipe 2| and 'itsconnection with the main, there are inserted a strainer 22, a reducingvalve 23, and an orifice member 24, best shown in Figs. 3 and 4. Thestrainer is of a standardconstruction havinga removable screen toprevent the passage of foreign material through the control system. Thereducing valve 23- provides a means of reducing the pressure of thesteam entering the pipe 2l and maintaining it constant at something inexcess of the maximum to be carried in low pressure main 6, in spite ofpressure variations in the high pressure main, which Variations may belarge. As shown in Fig. 4, the reducing valve comprises a two part body24, between the parts of which a pressure diaphragm 25 is clamped alongits edges, Screwed into the body 24 is a housing 26 enclosing a powerfulcoil spring 21 which presses downwardly against the diaphragm. Thepressure exerted by the spring may be adjusted by means of theregulating screW 28. The underside of the diaphragm carries a yoke 29which extends downwardly nearly to the bottom of the valve body andcarries a removable valve member 30 which moves toward and away from thev'alve port 3! as the'diaphragm flexes responsive to changes in steampressure within the valve body. A guide 32 is provided to guide theyoke29 in its movements and a removable plug 33 holds the guide 32. Thepressure exerted by the spring 21 may be adjusted to balance any desiredsteam pressure, within limits, within the body 24 such that asubstantially constant flow of steam enters the valve body at a pressuresuitably reduced for the purpose desired.

A short length of pipe 2 l connects the reducing valve 23 with theorifice member 24. This member connects with the pipe '2l through anarrow orifice 34 in. a plug 35 screwed into the bottom of the chamber36. The use of this orifice insures a smaller flowiof the steam thancould be obtained by the reducing valve 23 alone. To facilitate cleaningof the orifice in case of clogging, a cleaning needle 31 is provided,which is carried by a stem 38 reciprocable in the housing 33; and saidcleaning needle is normally held in the raised position shown by av coilspring 40 which acts against a cap 4|. By depressing the cap 4|, theneedle will be forced down through the orifice so as to dislodge anyforeign material which might collect therein.

At a suitable point in the bypass pipe 2| a pressure gauge 42 ofstandard construction is provided for the operators use in checking andadjusting the pressure in the control pipe 2i.

The opposite end of the pipe 2| is connected with a pilot valve 43, andthe valve 43 is eonnected to the low pressure main through ashort pipe2| The purpose of the pilot valve is to control the opening and closingof the regulating valve 1, said pilot valve being movable responsive toa governing fluid pressure, as will'be described, and hence beingregulatableby temperature variations, if desired, as fully disclosed inthe parent application.

The pilot valve 43, shown in detail in Fig. 2, has a valve chamber 44open to the low pressure main through the pipe 2|", a nipple 45 screwedinto the top of the chamber, and another nipple 46 screw-threadedtherein having a union 4'!- with the pipe 2|, and a valveseat member 48at the inner end of nipple 45.

The valve head 49 is carried on a valve stem 50 which is reciprocable inthe longitudinal bore 5| of a coupling member 52 screw-threaded intothe'bottom of the valve chamber. The head 49 is not rigidly secured tothe stem 50, but is held thereon by a cross pin 53 through the'stemwhich engages a hole 54, in the head, somewhat larger than the pin.Between the head and another cross pin 55 a small coil spring 56' actsto hold the head normally inthe position shown in Fig. 2.

Secured to the enlarged'head' 51 of the coupling 52 is a casing 58enclosing a bellows 59 which serves as an operating means for the valvestem 50, the valve stem passing through the center of the bellows andhaving its lower end slidably received in the guide bore 66 in the lowerend of the casing. The upper end of the bellows is secured to a head 6|which has an integral nipple 62 screw-threaded into the bore 5!. Thebore of the nipple is considerably larger than the diameter of the valvestem, as is the bore 5|, so that steam in the valve chamber 44 has freeaccess to the interior of the bellows. No steam can escape, however, tothe exterior of the bellows inside the casing 58. The lower end of thebellows has a head 63 to which the lower portion of the valve stem 50 isthreaded or otherwise secured. Thus on expansion and contraction of thebellows, the valve head 49 will be moved away from and toward the valveseat 48. A spacing sleeve 64" is. arranged in the bellows surrounding,the stem 5|! between the heads 6| and 63 for a purpose to be described.

An inlet port 65 is provided in the. casing 58. through which a fluid.may be conducted from. a tube 66 to act on the exterior of the. bellows.As disclosed in the parent application, the tube. 66 may be filled withoil and may communicate with any automatic pressure fixing device inwhich the pressure varies, in proper ratio, to changes in. thetemperature outside. orinsidev of abuilding which is heated from. thelow pressure. main 6 01 may communicate with any manually controlledpressure source. With such an arrangement the pilot valve 49 will openand close with pressure changes in pipe 66 and in turn will vary theposition of the regulating valve plunger I to increase or reduce thesteam flow into the low pressure main accordingly. However, almost anykind of fluid, either liquid or gaseous, might be used to exert pressureagainst the exterior of the bellows 59, and, in some cases, a mechanicalagent, such as a screw adjustable spring like that used to press againstthe diaphragm 25, might be employed without departing in any way fromthe scope of the invention. When a fluid is used to transmit pressureagainst the exterior of the bellows 59, the pressure source may be nearat hand or when air is used to transmit such pressure, the source may beat a remote point, as a building located several blocks away.

When the valve 49 is seated, the bellows 59 cannot push the valve stemfarther up so as to fully compress or jamb the spring on account of thesleeve 64; and if an excessive pressure should be accidentally built upin the pressure tube 66 which would, without the protection of thespring, back up too much pressure in pipe 2| (as hereinafter explained)such excess pressure in pipe 2| would be relieved at the valve 49 by afurther compression of the coil spring 56 underneath said valve, thusacting as a. safety valve to relieve such excess pressure in pipe 2| andto protect against the possible rupture of diaphragm l8 as will bedescribed (see Fig. 1).

It will be apparent that steam will condense and collect in certainparts of the system. Thus condensate collects on both sides of thediaphragm l8 and serves as a protection to the diaphragm against livesteam. To insure sufficient volume of condensate in the pipe 20, acondensation chamber 2|] is provided. Condensate also collects in thebellows 59, producing a slight head of Water in addition to the steampressure in the chamber 44. In some cases, it may be desirable toneutralize this head, and this may be accomplished by providing a smallcoil spring (not shown) in the bore 60 to act upwardly against the valvestem 50.

As previously stated, the pipe |9 (Fig. 1) connects the low pressuremain 6 with the space above diaphragm I8, and when the pilot valve isopen, the low pressure main 6 is also connected through pressure tube 2|and pipe 20 with the space below diaphragm I8, so that the pressures onopposite sides of said diaphragm are practically balanced, irrespectiveof the degree of the pressure in main 6. The continuous small flow ofsteam through tube 2| in no way affects this balancing of pressures onoppositesides of diaphragm l8 when the pilot valve is open. As soon,however, as the pilot valve is. closed to interrupt the flow of steamthrough pressure tube 2|, an excess pressure will be built up in tube 2|and will operateagainst the lower side of diaphragm |8 to overbalancethe pressure on the opposite side of the diaphragm and to open theregulating valve against the resistance of spring Whatever the nature ofthe fluid used in the casing 56, a small change of pressure in the tube66 will be multiplied many times in its effect on the pressure backed upinto tube 2| and its lifting power on diaphragm l8 to open or close theregulating valve 1.

Assuming that regulating valve 1 is in closed position and that a verylow governing pressure,

of only one ounce is appliedto tube 66 the sensi-. tive operation of thecontrol system may be understood by reference to Figs. 1 and 2 asfollows:

Since the area of the port leading to pressure tube 2| and closed by thepilot valve head 49 is very small, say 1/20th of 1 sq. in., and sincethe area of the bellows head 53 may be 2 sq.'in., an upward governingpressure. of 1 oz. per sq.-in. applied to tube 66 will create an upwardlift of 2 oz. on bellows head 63,-which lift is communicated to valvehead 49 to hold it against its seatto obstruct the flow of steam throughpressure tube 2| with such force as to create a pressure of 40 ouncesper sq. in. in tube 2|, and on lower side of diaphragm I8. Thisunbalanced pressure of 40 oz. (2 lbs. per sq. in. acting on therelatively large surface of diaphragm I8 is much more than ample to openregulating valve 1 against the pressure of spring l2. This opening ofvalve I will permit steam to pass into low pressure main 6 and throughpipe 21* (Fig. 2) into pilot valve 43 and hence into bellows 59. Whenthe pressure inside of bellows 59reaches 1 oz. per sq. in., the liftingeffect of the fluid pressure in casing 58 will be overcome and pilotvalve head 49 will open, which in turn would release the excess pressurein tube 2! and allow spring I2 to close the regulating valve 1 or tobring about astate of stabilization in its operation at one ouncepressure. Any higher pressure can, of course, be produced in the sameway by applying the desired governing pressure to pipe 66.

The regulating arrangement is equally sensitive to pressure variationsof one ounce or less when operating to carry any higher pressure in main6. Referring again to Figs. 1 and 2, this may be illustrated as follows:

Assuming that regulating valve 1 is in operation with a governingpressure of 5 lbs. on tube 66 and maintaining a pressure of 5 lbs. inlow pressure main 6. Under this condition the pressures in the spaceabove diaphragm l8 would be 5 lbs. The pressures on the inside andoutside of pilot valve bellows 59 would be so nearly balanced at 5 lbs.that pilot valve head would be barely closed with an upward pressure ofonly a fraction of an ounce which would impose a resistance to steamcoming through pipe 2| sufficient to boost the pressure in pipe 2! andin the space below diaphragm I8 a possible lb. above the normal pressureof 5 lbs. existing in the space above the diaphragm, this excesspressure below the diaphragm being sufiicient to balance or overcome theresistance of spring l2 and to maintain just the proper opening ofregulating valve plunger II. In practice the slightest variations in thebalance of the pressures on the inside and outside of bellows 49 aremultiplied in their effeet on the pressure below diaphragm I8 topreserve just the proper degree of opening of valve plunger H tomaintain the desired pressure in low pressure main 6.

Thus it will be seen that the regulation of pressures in low pressuremain 5 is governed entirely by the relation between the pressures on theinside and outside of bellows 59 in such a way that the pressure in lowpressure main 6 and inside of bellows 59 will always be equal to thepressure applied to the exterior of the bellows 59 through pressure pipe65 since the efiective areas of the inside and outside of the lowerbellows head are practically the same.

remote control of steam flow is desired. That the control system willhave other applications in various classes of fluid conducting systemswill be apparent, however, to those skilled in the art.

'Obviously, the present invention is not restricted to the particularembodiment thereof herein shown and described. Moreover, it is notindispensable that all the features of the invention be used conjointly,since they may be employed advantageously in various combinations andsub-combinations.

What I claim is:

1. Regulating apparatus for steam heating systems and the likecomprising, in combination, a high pressure main; a low pressure main; aregulating valve controlling flow of steam into the low pressure main; apilot valve connected with the low pressure main; means for supplying asubstantially constant but very small flow of steam to the pilot valvefrom the high pressure main; said pilot valve stopping said flow ofsteam when closed; means to operate said pilot valve; operating meansfor the regulating valve so constructed and connected with the pilotvalve that it is controlled by action of the pilot valve, said operatingmeans opening the regulating valve when closing of the pilot valvebuilds up enough pressure; said means for supplying a very small flow ofsteam to the pilot valve being directly connected with said operatingmeans; and a pipe connecting the low pressure main with the aforesaidoperating means, so that the pressures on opposite sides of saidoperating means are practically balanced irrespective of the pressure inthe low pressure main. 7

2. Regulating apparatus for steam heating systems and the likecomprising, in combination, a high pressure main; a low pressure main; a

regulating valve controlling flow of steam into the low pressure main; amovable member; means to move said member; a pilot valve connected withsaid member so as to be closed when the member is moved; means fordelivering a small quantity of steam at substantially uniform pressureto one side of the pilot valve, the other side of the pilot valve beingconnected to the low pressure main; pressure-actuated means for openingsaid regulating valve; a spring for closing said regulating valve; apipe connecting the low.pressure main with one side of thepressureactuated means; and a second pipe connected to the steamdelivering means and also to said pressure-actuated means, so that whensaid pilot valve closes and builds up a pressure in said steam deliverymeans and in said pipe, the pressure-actuated means will be operated soas to open the regulating valve to deliver more steam into the lowpressure main.

3. In a fluid transmission system having a high pressure main and a lowpressure main, a regulating valve of the balanced type controlling thefiow of fluid into the low pressure main; a housing secured to theregulating valve; a valve stem in the housing; a diaphragm casingsecured to the housing; a valve operating diaphragm fastened to saidvalve stem and dividing said casing into two parts; a bypass pipe havingits opposite ends connected to said high and low pressure mains atpoints on opposite sides of said regulating valve; means to supply avery small volume of fluid at a regulated pressure from the highpressure main to the bypass pipe; a pipe con nection adapted to transmitthe fluid pressure in the low pressure main to one side of said valveoperating diaphragm; a pipe connection, adapted to transmit a balancingfluid pressure from a point in said bypass to the opposite side of saiddiaphragm; and means in said bypass line responsive to the pressure insaid low pres-- sure main and also responsive to an independent pressureagent to change the pressure on one side of said diaphragm, thereby tochange the setting of said regulating valve; the pressure on saiddiaphragm being self-balancing after adjustments in the valve settinghave occurred.

4. A fluid transmission system comprising, in: combination, a highpressure main; a low pressure main; a regulating valve governing theflow of fluid from the high into the low pressure main; said valvehaving an operating mechanism comprising a valve stem and a suitablyencased diaphragm operable to reciprocate the valve stem responsive topressure differences on the oppositesidesthereof; a pipe connected tobypass a small amount of fluid from a point in the high pres-- sure mainaround the regulating valve toa pointin the low pressure main; means toregulate the pressure in said bypass pipe; means to restrict the flow offluid in said bypass pipe to a very small volume; said diaphragm beingsubject, on one side, through a pipe connection, to the pres-- sure insaid low pressure main, and on the opposite side, through another pipeconnection, to the pressure in said bypass pipe; and apressureresponsive pilot valve and operating means therefor connected tosaid bypass pipe to change the pressure on one side of said diaphragm,thereby to change the position of said regulating valve relative to thevalve seat.

5. A fluid transmission system comprising, in combination, a highpressure main; a low pressure main; a reducing valve regulating the flowof fluid into the low pressure main; said valve having an operatingmechanism comprising a valve stern and a diaphragm operable torecipmate-the stem responsive to pressure difierences on theoppositesides thereof; a pipe connected to said mains to bypass a small flow offluid around said regulating. valve and having a branch pipecommunicating with one side of said diaphragm; another pipe adapted totransmit the fluid pressure in the low pressure main to the Oppositeside of saiddiaphragm; means to regulatethe flow o1 fluid into saidbypass pipe; and means responsive on one side to the fluid pressure insaid low pressure main, and on the other side to an independent pressureagent to interrupt the steam flow in said. bypass pipe, thereby tochange the pressure on one side of said diaphragm. so as to open: orclose said regulating valve. 1

6. A fluid transm'nsion system comprising a high pressure main; 9, lowpressure main; a spring urgedxreducingivalve having an operatingdiaphragm regulating theflow into said low pressure main; a bypass; pipearound said regulating valve; means transmitting the fluid pressure insaid low pressure main to one side of said valve operating diaphragm;means transmitting the fluid-pressure in. said bypass pipe to theopposite side-oi said diaphragm; a pilot valve in the low pressureend-:ot said bypasspipe, said pilot valve having an operating means;means transmitting fluid pressure from the low pressure main to one sideof said pilot valve operating means; and;temperature-responsive meansacting on the other side of said pilot valve operating means; openingand closing of said pilot valve causing pressuredifferemes on theopposite sides of said diaphragm operable to open or close saidregulati-ngvalve;

EDGAR C. WILEY.

